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March against terrorism yesterday in London

Huge mention for the 'Football lads alliance against terrorism' march in London yesterday which was completely unrelated to anything EDL etc etc.

Easy as time goes by for the words of anger and commitment to do something to fade away.

Thousands turned out and not a single bit of trouble or controversy.

Thousands who are usually rivals on a Sat coming together for something they care passionately about.

You could slag them all you want but they are doing something and not just sitting and mouthing off.

I salute them all for a perfect March and show of solidarity. I just hope that as they gain popularity they don't attract opposition from the ultra left groups, as it is only when that ever happens, that trouble then occurs.

Plenty of videos online for those who care about the message, turnout or conduct.

Comments

I don't see how this can be construed as a bad thing. Everyone was saying after the last attack that enough is enough, we need to do something, this can't go on etc etc.

The man on the street does not have a vast array of opportunities to influence things but we can March peacefully, in numbers, to show solidarity.

I went on one of these in 2006 when there were about 80 people on it. There may have been up to 5k yesterday. It's good that people don't feel ashamed or unable to march against what they believe in.

I liked the Millwall and West Ham flowers together at the front. Some things are bigger than football.

And it should also be highlighted to show that not every March like this is a racist, far right, aggro thing. It can be simply the average man showing he is angry and fed up and wanting to show this and people deserve to know this.

I think a lot of effort went before to detract it from attracting the wrong element as that would help no one.

Re sinc, there is plenty online about it, but typically it's been linked with other (less peaceful) marches that occurred throughout the Country yesterday. Typically, it's only when you read the detail you realise there was no link whatsoever to the other marches.

I don't see how this can be construed as a bad thing. Everyone was saying after the last attack that enough is enough, we need to do something, this can't go on etc etc.

The man on the street does not have a vast array of opportunities to influence things but we can March peacefully, in numbers, to show solidarity.

I went on one of these in 2006 when there were about 80 people on it. There may have been up to 5k yesterday. It's good that people don't feel ashamed or unable to march against what they believe in.

I liked the Millwall and West Ham flowers together at the front. Some things are bigger than football.

And it should also be highlighted to show that not every March like this is a racist, far right, aggro thing. It can be simply the average man showing he is angry and fed up and wanting to show this and people deserve to know this.

That's the second time you've told us it "wasn't racist"/linked to EDL etc, why dost thou protest so much ?

I don't see how this can be construed as a bad thing. Everyone was saying after the last attack that enough is enough, we need to do something, this can't go on etc etc.

The man on the street does not have a vast array of opportunities to influence things but we can March peacefully, in numbers, to show solidarity.

I went on one of these in 2006 when there were about 80 people on it. There may have been up to 5k yesterday. It's good that people don't feel ashamed or unable to march against what they believe in.

I liked the Millwall and West Ham flowers together at the front. Some things are bigger than football.

And it should also be highlighted to show that not every March like this is a racist, far right, aggro thing. It can be simply the average man showing he is angry and fed up and wanting to show this and people deserve to know this.

That's the second time you've told us it "wasn't racist"/linked to EDL etc, why dost thou protest so much ?

Why do you think? Because any March/protest like this is always linked to them and then dismissed out of hand.

It's very easy to dismiss a movement or message when it's incorrectly and unfairly linked to another group.

The people who went to the time and effort to arrange this March and stop it being hijacked deserve the credit that it would otherwise not get, as soon as some uninformed person links it to the EDL etc.

I don't see how this can be construed as a bad thing. Everyone was saying after the last attack that enough is enough, we need to do something, this can't go on etc etc.

The man on the street does not have a vast array of opportunities to influence things but we can March peacefully, in numbers, to show solidarity.

I went on one of these in 2006 when there were about 80 people on it. There may have been up to 5k yesterday. It's good that people don't feel ashamed or unable to march against what they believe in.

I liked the Millwall and West Ham flowers together at the front. Some things are bigger than football.

And it should also be highlighted to show that not every March like this is a racist, far right, aggro thing. It can be simply the average man showing he is angry and fed up and wanting to show this and people deserve to know this.

That's the second time you've told us it "wasn't racist"/linked to EDL etc, why dost thou protest so much ?

Why do you think? Because any March/protest like this is always linked to them and then dismissed out of hand.

It's very easy to dismiss a movement or message when it's incorrectly and unfairly linked to another group.

The people who went to the time and effort to arrange this March and stop it being hijacked deserve the credit that it would otherwise not get, as soon as some uninformed person links it to the EDL etc.

That's why I'm reiterating the fact.

But if you hadn't of mentioned it why would anyone have linked it to the EDL?

You could say the same for any protest, March or movement couldn't you FOD?

Like any movement, the average person can't change or stop these things directly.

But we can protest peacefully and send a message out. Freedom of speech and a right to protest is usually encouraged and applauded, until its against terrorism?

Sometimes it's just the principle, that we're not going to just sit back and do nothing - a show of solidarity that might not achieve anything in the overall scheme, but it might make those participating feel that they are doing something about it, the only thing they can do.

I don't see how this can be construed as a bad thing. Everyone was saying after the last attack that enough is enough, we need to do something, this can't go on etc etc.

The man on the street does not have a vast array of opportunities to influence things but we can March peacefully, in numbers, to show solidarity.

I went on one of these in 2006 when there were about 80 people on it. There may have been up to 5k yesterday. It's good that people don't feel ashamed or unable to march against what they believe in.

I liked the Millwall and West Ham flowers together at the front. Some things are bigger than football.

And it should also be highlighted to show that not every March like this is a racist, far right, aggro thing. It can be simply the average man showing he is angry and fed up and wanting to show this and people deserve to know this.

That's the second time you've told us it "wasn't racist"/linked to EDL etc, why dost thou protest so much ?

Why do you think? Because any March/protest like this is always linked to them and then dismissed out of hand.

It's very easy to dismiss a movement or message when it's incorrectly and unfairly linked to another group.

The people who went to the time and effort to arrange this March and stop it being hijacked deserve the credit that it would otherwise not get, as soon as some uninformed person links it to the EDL etc.

That's why I'm reiterating the fact.

But if you hadn't of mentioned it why would anyone have linked it to the EDL?

Because before it had even set off the Express and other rags were labelling it an EDL march

It seems an odd thing to do, to me. Protests are usually about issues where someone has the executive power to make a difference. It's a form of lobbying in the hope of changing the situation. Holding a march against terrorism isn't like that at all though. It is implicitly understood that all normal reasonable people are against terrorism - theres no need for a march at all to demonstrate that. It also goes without saying that terrorists aren't normal reasonable people. They aren't going to stop because a few 'football lads' take to the streets. What positive outcome could come of it? It strikes me that such a march is more likely to encourage terrorists as it shows they are having an effect on people.

I'm sceptical as well that this march would take place on the same day, in the same city as one organised by the EDL. Splinter demo, deliberate counter-march, co-incidence, or just bad planning? I don't know, but it's surely one or the other.

I'm sure he already knew that, but was just trying to discredit me and the message.

I genuinely didn't - I'd never heard of Football Lads Against Terrirism until I read this thread and had no reason to link them to the EDL. I just thought it was odd how you initiated the thread and expressly stated it was nothing to do with the EDL.

I don't see how this can be construed as a bad thing. Everyone was saying after the last attack that enough is enough, we need to do something, this can't go on etc etc.

The man on the street does not have a vast array of opportunities to influence things but we can March peacefully, in numbers, to show solidarity.

I went on one of these in 2006 when there were about 80 people on it. There may have been up to 5k yesterday. It's good that people don't feel ashamed or unable to march against what they believe in.

I liked the Millwall and West Ham flowers together at the front. Some things are bigger than football.

And it should also be highlighted to show that not every March like this is a racist, far right, aggro thing. It can be simply the average man showing he is angry and fed up and wanting to show this and people deserve to know this.

That's the second time you've told us it "wasn't racist"/linked to EDL etc, why dost thou protest so much ?

Why do you think? Because any March/protest like this is always linked to them and then dismissed out of hand.

It's very easy to dismiss a movement or message when it's incorrectly and unfairly linked to another group.

The people who went to the time and effort to arrange this March and stop it being hijacked deserve the credit that it would otherwise not get, as soon as some uninformed person links it to the EDL etc.

That's why I'm reiterating the fact.

But if you hadn't of mentioned it why would anyone have linked it to the EDL?

I don't see how this can be construed as a bad thing. Everyone was saying after the last attack that enough is enough, we need to do something, this can't go on etc etc.

The man on the street does not have a vast array of opportunities to influence things but we can March peacefully, in numbers, to show solidarity.

I went on one of these in 2006 when there were about 80 people on it. There may have been up to 5k yesterday. It's good that people don't feel ashamed or unable to march against what they believe in.

I liked the Millwall and West Ham flowers together at the front. Some things are bigger than football.

And it should also be highlighted to show that not every March like this is a racist, far right, aggro thing. It can be simply the average man showing he is angry and fed up and wanting to show this and people deserve to know this.

That's the second time you've told us it "wasn't racist"/linked to EDL etc, why dost thou protest so much ?

Why do you think? Because any March/protest like this is always linked to them and then dismissed out of hand.

It's very easy to dismiss a movement or message when it's incorrectly and unfairly linked to another group.

The people who went to the time and effort to arrange this March and stop it being hijacked deserve the credit that it would otherwise not get, as soon as some uninformed person links it to the EDL etc.

That's why I'm reiterating the fact.

But if you hadn't of mentioned it why would anyone have linked it to the EDL?

It seems an odd thing to do, to me. Protests are usually about issues where someone has the executive power to make a difference. It's a form of lobbying in the hope of changing the situation. Holding a march against terrorism isn't like that at all though. It is implicitly understood that all normal reasonable people are against terrorism - theres no need for a march at all to demonstrate that. It also goes without saying that terrorists aren't normal reasonable people. They aren't going to stop because a few 'football lads' take to the streets. What positive outcome could come of it? It strikes me that such a march is more likely to encourage terrorists as it shows they are having an effect on people.

I'm sceptical as well that this march would take place on the same day, in the same city as one organised by the EDL. Splinter demo, deliberate counter-march, co-incidence, or just bad planning? I don't know, but it's surely one or the other.

A number of people seem to think that normal reasonable Muslims should continually be making the point that they are against terrorism Stig. I see a lot of comments about it on social media and the comments sections on on-line newspaper articles, as well as in the mainstream media. If they are not shouting about how they are against it all the time, they are assumed to be in favour in the eyes of some people. Even when I have seen videos on line of Muslim people condemning it, some comment that they must know some of the people who are doing it, and why aren't they pointing the finger.

I see your point here by the way, but I think of it more as a "fuck-you" to terrorists to have a large group of people converging in a city that has suffered from attacks.

I also see why The Organiser is at pains to point out that when a majorly young white male demographic is involved that this was not an anti-muslim thing, it was anti-terrorist thing. Sad that has to be the case, but perfectly understandable when you meet some of the people I do.

Just discovered another reason why The Organiser feels the need to distance the march from the far right - look at Lionheart GB's page on Facebook. Claiming it as something to do with their ideals when there's a banner clearly visible saying they are against extremism...

Just discovered another reason why The Organiser feels the need to distance the march from the far right - look at Lionheart GB's page on Facebook. Claiming it as something to do with their ideals when there's a banner clearly visible saying they are against extremism...

The EDL were mentioned because they held their own march in Central London yesterday. As the EDL's march, the UAF's (unite against fascism) counter demonstration and the FLA were all on the same day - it would be easy to link the two completely separate 'rallies'.

There was minimal trouble between the UAF and the EDL in C.London yesterday. It was very heavily policed as you can imagine. All in all I would say about 100 turned up for that and that obviously helped the police manage it. There was no trouble in London Bridge where the best part of 3000 football fans from across the country turned up. Fair play to them.

I really don't see the need for the digs regarding the march and that it won't sort out the terrorist problem. Whether you're left, far left, right or far right, you have a right to protest and a right to voice your opinion as long as it doesn't break the law. The FLA yesterday showed us all that they (the general public) won't be effected by the string of attacks that we've seen in this country this year.

Another protest or demo to occur yesterday was justice for Grenfall Tower. That's another community voicing their concern and coming together in solidarity. IT raises awareness and opens peoples eyes, that more needs to be done.